Week 91 - I'm loving Hanford

Great week this last week. I love my new companion, Elder Roberts. He's already taught me so much. He brings a new perspective but with the same goals and such so it's been super cool getting to work with him and learn together. It's been super cool. I'm not really working on the website right now since Elder Speer is gone so we've just been able to do all work! It's been super awesome. I've loved teaching so much. I feel like a full blown missionary again. I felt like one when I was working on the website it was just kind of like I had a little thorn in my side that's all!

Elder Roberts and I are really working on focusing on finding families that can be sealed in the temple. It's an approach that I've never taken in missionary work before but that I'm excited to try. We are, of course, going to continue to talk to everyone and help everyone as best we can but we are going to make sure we are focusing and trying our best to be able to find those prepared families and help them progress. I'm excited as well because I feel very strongly that Elder Roberts is going to teach me a ton about how to continue to become converted. Something that I have been praying for and working really hard at. It's amazing how the Lord really does answer prayers!

Not a ton to report on other than that. I'm loving Hanford! The ward is amazing and the work is really starting to pick up. I love y'all so much and loved hearing all about y'all's week. It sounds like it was a great one! I hope this week is awesome as well!!

Love,

Elder Robertson

The new companion!!

Week 90 - Hello, this is Elders Roberts and Robertson

So transfers this week! I am staying in Hanford and getting a new companion. His name is Elder Roberts.. No joke haha. It's gonna be a little crazy..... When we answer the phone, "Hello, this is Elders Roberts and Robertson" hahaha. He is a new zone leader so I'll be running around teaching him everything as we go. I'm a little nervous cause I still feel like I'm barely getting the hang of things but I know the Lord will help me out. I'm super sad to see Elder Speer go. I learned a ton from him. Seriously a ton. More than from any other companion. I'll miss him a lot. Plus we had a ton of fun together. It'll be cool seeing him after the mission and catching up. We're not quite sure what we're going to do about the website though.. haha. We're super deep into it and on the final stretch of things but now going to have to do it all over the internet or something. Who knows! We'll see how it all goes.

Ray is doing well. He is stoked to get baptized next week but is feeling pretty lousy since they put the catheter in his chest as the input for the chemo. It's knocked him out pretty good especially with the medication he is on. But he is still working super hard to repent and prepare for his baptism.

This week was kind of a rough one. Everything fell through... I mean everything. We had 10 set appointments just cancel this week.. THAT'S UNHEARD OF! haha. It was weird but I was able to learn the principle of diligence and faithfulness even in the sight of nothing really happening in that moment. I'm excited to see what this next week has in store as I keep that diligence and things work out a little more as well.

I love my mission a lot. It amazes me how much I really do love it sometimes. We were eating dinner with a couple last night who are former mission president and wife. They were telling us a story about a group of missionaries in their mission who did some dumb stuff. The whole time they were telling us the story my stomach was in knots. I can't imagine doing something like that with the Savior's name on my chest. My name tag would burn a hole right through my chest. I realized in that moment how precious my mission was to me. It was kind of an ah ha moment if you will. I realized that I would never ever do anything to jeopardize my mission. I love my Savior way too much and understand that truly he is the one who called me. I love the Lord and I love this gospel. I love y'all a ton and hope that y'all have an amazing week!

Love,

Elder Robertson

Week 89 - Yep, I love the MOTAB

Thank y'all so much for the cd!!!!! [We sent Elder Robertson a CD of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at his request after his mission loosened the rules and allowed MOTAB music.] It's been so much fun listening to. It's amazing how powerful their music is. I don't know if it's cause I'm a missionary or what but there music is actually some of my favorite. I think it's because of how deep and full it is. It's not just the normal surface level entertainment that music usually is! I'm liking it a lot.

I was studying today in the teachings of the prophet Joseph Smith and it was talking about how we are the body of Christ (as in the church, not as individuals) which means that we all play a different role just as the different parts of the body play their different roles. I'm totally butchering the analogy but it's a cool one! Just that we are all here to play some part and function to help the kingdom of God go forward! It's a cool dynamic.

We had an awesome lesson with Sam this past week. He's about 15 and just gets the gospel. It's suuuper cool teaching them. It's amazing how we'll be teaching a principle and he'll just connect all of the dots and come to the final conclusion without us ever having to state it. The spirit truly is a way better teacher and testifier than I can ever dream to be. But he is a part of the Godhead so I'm pretty sure that that's how it's supposed to be haha. They're really warming up to us and starting to get more and more enveloped in the church. It's a super cool process to watch.

We didn't get to see Ray all week because he's been going through radiation for his cancer. He still came to church though which was super awesome! It was cool too because it was "regional stake conference" yeah... didn't know those existed. But basically we just had a broadcast in our building from some of the general authorities and from an apostle. Oh how amazing it was! It was just teaching us to get back to the basic fundamentals of the gospel. I love that. I feel like all too often we are so comfortable where we are in the church because we are fulfilling so many of the branches and off shoots of the gospel while completely missing and blowing the trunk and the fundamentals such as daily scripture reading. It's just amazing to me how little the basics are focused on and made a priority and truly are the most important. It was cool cause Ray ate it up as well! He loved it and learned a ton from it. He talked about how he feels he needs to be more obedient to God and needs to be more of a disciple. He truly was able to experience personal revelation during the broadcast and was able to recognize and voice it afterwards as we talked to him. What a monumental step in his journey towards baptism!!

I'm doing well and am really loving this ward! They're awesome. It's amazing to me how the church really is true everywhere. I know that's a "duh" statement but it still amazes me! Just the fact that it's able to be perpetuated correctly in every part of the world. By no means is it perfect and run exactly how it's supposed to. But it's got all the truth it needs and that's what's important! I love y'all and hope y'all have an amazing week. I know that Jesus Christ lives. The restoration changed the world and it has changed and will continue to change my life. I love this gospel and love sharing it even more. I'm a servant of my Savior, there is no greater call!!!! I love y'all.

Love,

Elder Robertson

Elder Robertson's mission used to not allow any music. But recently, they change the rule to allow them to listen to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Week 88 - The temple was amazing

The temple was amazing. I realized something kind of cool. I remember when I first went to the temple (which was about 2 years ago, CRAZY!). I remember how it was just such a huge stark contrast from the outside world. When I'd go to the temple the spirit would just be so very strong there that it would be night and day. Now, I am not saying that there isn't just a super strong spirit when I go to the temple because there is. However, I realized that it's not night and day anymore. It still is a spirit like no where else. But as I have been getting my life more and more in line with the will of God and have the spirit with me more often it has become a little bit more like the difference in dusk and day. I really hope this is making sense and isn't false doctrine or anything. It's just made me realize how I always want to feel like the way I live my life and the places and situations I put myself in aren't a polar opposite as that of the temple. I love the temple so much!

Cameron is doing great. She came to church again and we taught her in a member's home this past week. She is progressing well and loves church. She is still working on finalizing what day she wants to be baptized but I know that it is going to be soon! She's awesome! Ray was pretty sick on Sunday so we haven't seen him in a few days. He still seems to be excited about coming this upcoming week though so all is well with him. Kalee...we haven't been able to get in contact with. We're not really sure what happened. The Lord will take care of it though so we'll see what happens.

Sam and Lexus are two investigators that are super awesome as well. They LOVE the gospel. They love learning so much and have a million questions which is really cool. They are progressing well. This past week their mother, who we were a little worried about kind of hindering their progression, told us that she wants to come to church this next Sunday and start listening to us!!! God works on people at all times. It's amazing.

Our mission just changed the rule on music and it is now 100% MOTAB. So I was curious if y'all have the CD from them titled "Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing"? It's my favorite and I do not have it. OH, and the website is going well. We are trying to finish it in the next 2 weeks or so! We'll see what happens. I'm learning a ton so that's super cool. If I'm honest though... I don't like it at all because of the time it takes away from being a missionary. But It seems to be what's needed so I'll just finish it as fast as I can

Everything is going well here. I'm loving the work here even though it's going slowly. It's super different working in English and actually much harder. The trials and such you help people with are much different. None the less, I love it. I just love being able to preach the gospel. It sounds plain and cheesy but it's the truth. There is no greater call. It brings the greatest joy. I love y'all so much and hope that y'all have an amazing week!!!

Love,

Elder Robertson

Elder Robertson got to attend the Fresno LDS Temple this week. He gets to do that once a quarter, so that's a treat for him.

Week 87 - Some great stories to share

This week was a good one. A lot to report and kind of just stories to share so I'll jump right into it.

Basketball in Fresno. I got to play like Wednesday night ball up in Fresno on an exchange with the assistants. We played with some members and some investigators. Yeah.... I'm way out of shape. I still have kind of got my shot but as far as running up and down the court and everything.. yup gonna need to get back in shape to be able to do that comfortably again. But none the less it was really fun to get to play some ball again.

We have an awesome investigator named Cameron. We found her on the street and I should say that she found us!! She called out to us when she was on a nightly walk and said, "Are you mormons?!"... I was a little hesitant thinking something maybe kind of mean was coming but not at all. When we said yes she exclaimed happily, AWESOME!! We taught her in the church building the other day and watched the Restoration video!! She loved it and ate it all up. She said she's knows he's a prophet. It was incredible. And then she came to church on Sunday and stayed for all three hours!! Afterwards she thanked us so much for inviting her and told us how she will be here every Sunday!! The Lord truly prepares people for this Gospel.

Another one is Kalee (said Kaili). She's super awesome. We have been teaching her and her mom for a while now. She has this awesome new young family, the Larsons, fellowshipping her and she came to church with them on Sunday. She came decked out in a skirt and everything!!! She fit right in. She told her fellowship in the ward that she'll be here next Sunday and that she absolutely loved church. Her baby was sick so she left after the first hour. But things are going really well with her!

Then we have RAY!! OH RAY!! It's soooo awesome!! He just showed up to church. He called a member of the ward that he didn't know and had gotten the phone number of from a relative and called and asked him to pick him up and bring him to church. He stayed for all three hours and loved it and said he'll be here every Sunday. He said that he wants to turn his life around and seriously was soaking everything up like a sponge all of church. He truly left a little bit changed from church which was suuuuuper awesome to see. I'm super excited for him!!

So just so y'all know I will be going to the temple next week on Tuesday so that will be the day that I email. So just a heads up!!

This gospel is so true. The restoration is a fact. I love my Savior so much and am so grateful for the blessing and opportunity to be part of his work. There truly is nothing like it. i love y'all so much and am so grateful for all that you do! Please let me know if there's anything that I can ever do for y'all. Have a great week!!

Love,

Elder Robertson